The delivery of electrical energy as well as of operating supplies to individual systems in a vehicle is usually accomplished through one or more supply systems having electrical and fluid lines. In a modern aircraft, for example, a plurality of electrical networks is present, which may provide direct and/or alternating current to electrical loads. In direct current networks heavy input filters and rectifiers commonly used in alternating current circuits may be avoided, especially in high voltage direct current networks. Fuel cells, that tend to become more important in future aircraft applications, may deliver such a high voltage direct current directly.
Electrical loads, for example fans, pumps or compressors that are to be driven by a high voltage direct current supplied by a fuel cell will most likely be placed remotely from the fuel cell. It may therefore be necessary to deliver the current through electrical lines that extend from the fuel cell to these remote locations and that are traditionally protected against an overcurrent. As a safety measure, a common design requirement defines placing lines with flammable fluids under a given safety distance to electrical lines.